ROME, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- The 84-year old pope is recovering slowly in a Rome hospital from a throat infection, the BBC reported Saturday.
John Paul II, who was admitted to Gemelli Hospital earlier in the week, is expected to be well enough to deliver his traditional Angelus blessing Sunday. He suffered a closure of his larynx that partially blocked airflow to his lungs.
The Angelus prayer itself may be read by an aide.
The Polish cleric's lungs and his heart reportedly are working well, although concerns remain about pneumonia. He already suffers from Parkinson's disease and painful joint conditions.
The day-to-day running of the Vatican falls to the man who occupies offices directly below the papal apartment, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican secretary of state, who acts as a kind of prime minister, the Telegraph said.
The widespread suspicion is that the Pope's private secretary, Bishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, wields much of the Vatican's real power.
